I’d always been more of a crowbar when it came to breaking and entering. Despite my aura disabling some electronics, I didn’t have the finesse, technology, or patience for the more covert operations. Scanners, miniature cameras, drones… all things possible, but not my style. Brute force with the element of surprise had been enough to tick every box on my violent to-do list up until this point.

Of course, while the automaton turned to meet me, I started to reconsider my haphazard approach to these things. Not for long, though - as I had to act.

No point retreating at this stage. I was all in. Gun barrel through the brief opening, I hit the machine with a pulse of electricity from the Tazer shot. It stumbled forward as it struggled to control its legs, allowing me to push the door open wide enough to gain entry.

I knew the type of bot rather well. Not the cheapest, which explained why it hadn’t collapsed into a pile of scrap. Safety mechanisms to defend against this very scenario. The nickname for these guys was ‘Shredder’, not just because of the high rate-of-fire machine gun on the left side of its torso. They weren’t exactly built to be gentle with their right hand either - which, although set up to look humanoid, had a nasty habit of de-gloving those they tried to restrain.

Any irony in it being almost a mirror of me was ignored.

Shredders had a weakness, right in the kidney area. I stepped forward, an empty shell clattering the floor as the end of my arm prodded the bot in the lower back. A second shot that blew out ceramic plating and a handful of shattered circuitry. The red light that had originally tried to seek me out flickered before going inert, as the automaton deflated like a balloon.

No rest for the wicked. I stepped past and into a darkened side room. Crouched down and pushed the door to.

Another red light washed over the corridor from the other end soon after. Sound of footsteps, slow and methodical. Mechanical.

“Unit 9-B detected. Possible malfunction. Investigating.”

The crimson beam changed to a light green and started to sweep vertically across the dead bot. Only a matter of time before they clocked the empty shotgun shells and raised the alarm. The more noise I made, the more attention I’d get… so I was just delaying the inevitable, anyway.

Better to act now and try my luck. Up to my feet, I emerged from the shadows and into the corridor. This bot was only a couple of feet from the inert one, about to determine that foul play was afoot. Another Shredder. Another kidney shot with the Tazer breaking out their important parts.

Even before it had the chance to clatter to the carpet, a hiss reverberated around a tannoy system.

“Floor lockdown in process. Please remain in place until security has given the all clear.”

An automated system that must have kicked in when two of the bots went out of action. Pretty smart on the surface, but I wondered if that just meant everyone on this floor now had no escape.

To further my line of thinking, the door I had entered from hummed with power as a metal shutter descended from the ceiling. Thick, segmented plates that would probably shrug off my normal shells like they were party poppers.

I ran Overcharge down my arm and blasted the reinforced doorframe with the empty Tazer shell. A burst of powdered brickwork from the impact spun around in the air with the dissipating force. Whatever metal supports within the masonry were now bent and buckled. The lowering blockade stopped and squealed about halfway down, frustrated it couldn't complete its job. A red light bloomed over the entrance to signal any passing engineer that more shit was fucked. Theme of the evening, no doubt.

Not exactly much space for me to squeeze through, but complications opened other avenues of success.

My eyes turned down to the corridor, where there were two darkened rooms on the right before it turned off to the left. A potted plant sat in the corner there, looking like it wanted no part of what I had planned. No Threat.

Racked a new shell in and made my way forward. Seventeen Tazer shots left. Should be plenty enough before I'd have to be careful.

My left hand idly tapped at the pouch containing the Sanguine ammo. Something about this place had me on edge, and it wasn't just it being a higher stakes contract. A few Shredders were one thing, but there were a lot worse things out there.

Feet took me to the corner, and I peered around. A wide room that looked partially like it was for recreation. Water cooler, vending machines powered down, an oval table in the center with a modest number of chairs surrounding it. Dimly lit and quiet except for the humming of idle technology.

I stepped inside, immediately clocking the man on the right who had been keeping out of sight, trying to obscure the door out of here.

"Hands-" he began, before I shot him in the shin. Threat Level 4.

He shook and dropped whatever he was holding. I stepped forward to grab him by the shirt before he could crack his head open on whatever furniture was closest, and sat him down on a chair. He’d stay dazed for five minutes or so before his senses would slowly return.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

Repeated exposure wasn’t good for the brain, but neither was me clocking him around the head with my arm to knock him out. The wooden door out of this room hadn’t shuttered, so the metal panels must only be for exits and possibly the more important places - especially if the heads of the factory worked up here.

I kneeled down to pluck up the guard’s item. Screen was cracked now, but still readable. Gave a handy list of all the protection up on this floor - although not where they were located. Five humanoid guards. Four Shredders, two of which were now disabled. Two Sentries, two Pythons, and one unknown entity that had no designation.

Sentries were simple enough. Less automaton-like and more of a static weapons platform powered by AI. Usually stuck in places with a lot of foot traffic, or in front of a security-sensitive location. They’d be on alert now, and I’d earn their full ire once spotted.

Pythons were almost the opposite in design. A synthetic construct that was more of a living lasso or bola than anything else. All in all, a lot of defensive measures for some offices atop a factory. Now that they knew I was here, I needn’t be too shy about my intentions.

I paused at the doorway. Having a map or building layout would have been helpful. Perhaps I was outgrowing my do-or-die method of approaching contracts. I needed some way of regularly accessing tech upgrades and city information. Thoughts idly circled around my neighbor before I dismissed them. Two guards required my attention. Could hear them shifting into place uncomfortably beyond these thin walls.

Heavy boot burst the simple wooden door outward, but I remained in place. A pair of pistols blew a couple of holes in the innocent barricade before I leveled my arm around the corner. One pop and I tilted my head briefly past the doorframe. The closest guard had dropped, some of the armor around his stomach shredded, but the one a little further down the corridor had taken cover.

Shell ejected as he leaned back around and fired another salvo of three shots. The last bullet ricochet from my gun-arm, while the others made further viewing holes in the unlucky door behind me. Better not have made a dent. As he ducked behind his corner, I strode out. It was a basic pistol, standard issue for people in his line of work. Compact, with only six shots. He had wasted them and now had to reload.

I could almost hear his panic, as he didn’t seem to perform well under pressure. The scratches of mag not going into the grip. Slight clatter as his hands shook, hearing me approach. An audible gasp as he thought he had managed it just in time before I could reach him.

My Tazer shot blew into the calf that was half hanging out from his cover. Sloppy work on his part. Hard to see how the other Agent died here. Of course, that was all on what Boss had told me - not that I doubted him. The guard didn’t have much of use on him, but I propped him up in a sitting position so that he wouldn’t choke on his own drool.

Four shots left in this mag - I chambered a shell and then switched it for the full one. At least until I had met the other two humanoids, I’d play it safe. After they were out of the picture, then I just had destruction on my mind. The unknown security force was playing on my nerves, but there wasn’t much I could do right now.

Two empty offices along this way, before it ended at two doorways. One to the right labeled ‘Management’, and then the one in front of me had been shuttered off with metal. Intuition told me that the protected direction was more likely to house my target. The sign above the door that said ‘Research’ helped as well.

I went back to the last guard and dug around in his pockets. Keycard acquired. I pulled out a similar device as to what the first man had dropped. On the back was a sticky note with a five-digit number written down. No matter what you prepared, you could never count on the integrity of the human mind. Or the… orcish mind, as the case might be in this circumstance.

Probably would have thanked his unconscious body if I had my vocalizer in, so I was immediately glad that I had disconnected it. While stealth wasn’t necessarily one of my strong suits, knowing when to shut up had done me well over the years.

Back to the door and a swipe and mash of buttons later, and the slatted panels of the metal covering started to return to the ceiling. Despite my ability, I still felt as though I was being watched. Maybe it was just because I was waiting for the door to allow me entry, but I was on edge.

My brow furrowed, and I spun around, dropping to one knee with my arm level. Decent reflexes, but slightly too slow.

A Python, who had snuck out of one of the side rooms. Leaped through the air like a coiled spring as soon as I had clocked it. Semi-transparent, the rubbery tube was full of segmented metallic parts. The head end was already coiling around my extended gun-arm before I had the chance to fire. Too close now.

Before it had the chance to snake down me to my torso, I launched from my position and slammed into the side of the corridor. The plasterboard and wood crumbled, leaving a long indent where I had attempted to crush the Python against the wall. It was a hardy construct, though, and it did little but briefly slow its movements.

Enough for me. I twisted, dragging the loose end of its body away so that it couldn’t push up onto me. As it went to relax back down, I brought my boot down on the end of the tail, pinning it to the floor.

Gun-arm shook as the bot tightened up, constricting what it had been able to grasp before moving further. There was a strength to it that surprised me briefly. Shoulder joint started to ache as it was pulling my arm lower to the ground. Only a matter of time before it escaped the pressure of my boot. Terrible angle to get a shot at it as well. EMP grenade might help but would put me in too much danger.

I made the mental note to invest in a knife.

If it got around my neck, I’d be done for. While choking was less of a threat compared to if I had the normal biological parts, having my stims and cannister shatter would be detrimental to my well being.

Threat Level 12.

Yeah, thanks. My knees started to buckle, unable to hold the pressure. Expressionless Python continued to wind together like a tightening spring. The whirr of the many motors and moving components strained against my reluctance to be constricted.

Muzzle pressed against the carpet, giving me some leverage, but unable to use my built-in weapon. Perhaps I knew now how easily the other Agent might have died.

Murmured voices sounded from the other side of the door. The two guards now wondering why it had been unlocked but nobody had come through. They might even have a notification on their device that told them the Python had something.

My eyes went up to the wall fifteen feet back down the corridor. A small vent flap popped open, and the second Python stuck its head out. Called in by the struggles of its brethren.

Stims washed through me, giving my muscles a needed second wind.

Fighting against the grip of the synthetic snake, I gradually raised the muzzle of my gun-arm from the floor. Arm shook with every millimeter gradually gained. Second Python slithered from the crawl space. My left hand patted around my belt for the toolkit. The low voices were closer to the door now, arguing about whether they should open it or not.

Muscles burned as I fought against the situation I was slowly sinking into.

V-Force hummed and powered up in my arm. Now they'd made me angry.